Adjustable splint

ABSTRACT

A splint which may be easily adjusted to the angle of the knee or elbow of a broken leg or arm and which may be easily applied to the broken limb to hold the limb and the joint in position. The splint has a pair of side members which are joined together along one edge by canvas panels and along the opposite edge by removable lacings. The adjacent faces of the side members are covered with heavy padding. Each of the side members is formed of a pair of boards, the first board being rectangular and the second, shorter board partially overlapping the first board. A pair of bolts extending through slots in the second board permit the angle between the first and second boards to be adjusted. The canvas panel may be provided with an opening to permit access to the injured limb after the splint has been installed.

[ 54] ADJUSTABLE SPLINT Karl A. A. Reuther, 3070 Silver Lake Boulevard,Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio 44224 22] Filed: May 6,1970

21 AppI,No.: 35,170

[72] Inventor:

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 635,407 4/1950 GreatBritain ..l28/8713,992 6/1902 Great Britain ..l28/93 Primary Examiner-Richard A. GaudetAssistant Examiner-J. Yasko Attorney-Oldham & Oldham [5 7] ABSTRACT Asplint which may be easily adjusted to the angle of the knee or elbow ofa broken leg or arm and which may be easily applied to the broken limbto hold the limb and the joint in position. The splint has a pair ofside members which are joined together along one edge by canvas panelsand along the 0pposite edge by removable lacings. The adjacent faces ofthe side members are covered with heavy padding. Each of the sidemembers is formed of a pair of boards, the first board being rectangularand the second, shorter board partially overlapping the first board. Apair of bolts extending through slots in the second board permit theangle between the first and second boards to be adjusted. The canvaspanel may be provided with an opening to permit access to the injuredlimb after the splint has been installed.

7 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures Paitemed Ap1r1'134, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR KARL A. A. REUTHER ATTORNEYS wsmw Pafienfiwd April 4', 1972 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-6 FIG.8

FIG.-

INVENTOR KARL A. A. REUTHER Wax FIG-IO ATTORNEYS ADJUSTABLE SPLINT Whenan individual suffers a broken arm or leg a splint should be applied toimmobilize the broken bones and the adjacent joints until they can beset and protected by a permanent cast. When the break occurs at or nearthe knee or elbow it is desirable that the entire joint be renderedimmobile so that the injury is not compounded. Since many of theseinjuries occur while engaged in sports activities, and particularlywhile skiing where the injured person is not close to medical attentionand may have to be carried for some distance, it is desirable that thesplint be easily carried and capable of being correctly installed evenby persons of little or no medical training. Various splint arrangementshave been proposed but these lack certain essential features. Among thedifficulties present in the prior art splints are the difficulty ofbeing properly and quickly installed by a layman without aggravation tothe injuries, and the lack of any means for adjusting the splint to theangle of the broken knee or elbow or for retaining the splint securelyat that angle. Most injured parties will not allow their limb to bemoved or straightened. An adjustable splint will accommodate this humanreaction and will further avoid any unnecessary motion. Under certainconditions, it may be desirable to apply some traction to the injuredlimb as, for example, where traction is needed to prevent muscle spasms.

It is the primary object of may invention to provide a splint which maybe used on a broken arm or leg to immobilize the arm or leg and theelbow, knee and ankle. A further object of the invention is theprovision of such a splint which may be easily installed by a laymanwithout causing further injury. It is also an object of the invention toprovide a splint which may be easily carried and which providesprotection from the effects of sub-freezing temperature. A furtherobject of the invention is a provision of a splint which is of simpledesign and which may be economically constructed. Another object of theinvention is the provision, in connection with a splint, of means forapplying some degree of traction to the injured limb.

As will be described in more detail below, these objectives arefulfilled in the present invention by providing a splint which consistsof a pair of side members joined by a cloth panel and adapted to bepositioned on opposite sides of the injured limb and which have anadjustable portion which may be moved to accommodate the angle of theelbow, knee or of the broken limb and securely held at that angle. For amore complete understanding of my invention reference should be had tothe following description and accompanying drawings wherein there isshown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of the adjustable splint of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear plan view of the adjustable splint;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is a pictorial side view showing the splint of FIGS. 1-3 appliedto a broken leg;

FIG. 5 is a top view similar to that of FIG. 4;

F IG, 6 is a fragmentary top view of the lower orv foot portion of asecond embodiment of the splint of my invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the splint of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary top view of the lower or foot portion of anotherembodiment of the splint of my invention;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation view of the splint of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified arrangement of thepivotal connection between the upper and lower side members of thesplint of my invention.

The splint, designated generally by the reference numeral 10 consists ofa pair of side members 12 and 14 which are mirror images of one anotherand canvas panels 16 and 18 which join the side members Hand 14together. The side member 12 consists of a main rectangular panel 20,preferably of plywood and a second panel 22, also preferably of plywood.The lower portion of the panel 22 overlaps the upper portion of thepanel 20. A pair of carriage bolts 24 extend outwardly through holesnear the upper end of the panel 20 and through arcuate slots 26 and 28in the overlapped portion of the panel 22. The center of curvature ofeach of the slots lies at the upper end of the opposite slot. Each ofthe bolts 24 has a washer 30 and a wing nut 32 to permit rapidadjustment and tightening of the bolts. This arrangement permits theupper panel 22 to be adjusted at an angle relative to the lower panel 20as will be more fully described below. The turning of the upper panel 22relative to the lower panel 20 may be accomplished about the axis ofeither bolt. The inner face of each of the panels 20 is provided with alayer of padding 34, preferably a 2-inch thick layer of foam rubber.Likewise, the non-overlapping portions of the panels 22 are providedwith padding 36, also preferably of foam rubber. The canvas panel 16 isconnected to the lower panels 20 of the side members 12 and 14 along oneof the principle edges thereof and the panel 18 is connected to the sideedges of the upper panels 22 of the side members 12 and 14. It should benoted that the panel 16 is of slightly greater width at its upper thanits lower end to accommodate the natural difference in thickness of apersons leg from the ankle to the knee. The panel 16 may, if desired, beprovided with a zippered opening 38. Hooks 40 are provided along thefree edges of the panels 12 and 14 and a lacing 42 is run from one hookto another, alternating between the panels 12 and 14, to complete thesplint and tightly clamp it to the injured limb.

The dimensions of the various elements of the splint will, of course,vary depending upon the application intended. Thus, a splint for use ona leg will be generally larger than on designed for use on an arm.However, the arrangement which provides the adjustability between theupper and lower portions of the side members of the splint permits thesame splint to be used on either an arm or leg. For example, a splintwhich is ofa size suitable for use on an adults arm may be readily beused on a childs leg. The foam rubber padding 34 and 36 also compensatesfor different sizes of limbs and permits the splint to be appliedwithout removing the injured persons shoe or ski boot. This is ofparticular importance when the splint must be applied in sub-freezingtemperatures.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the method by which the splint is installed.Assuming that the person has a broken leg, the splint is positioned openunder the leg with the canvas panels 16 and 18 beneath the leg and theside portions 12 and 14 on opposite sides of the leg. The adjustableupper plates 22 of the side members are positioned so that the pivotpoints are approximately aligned with the knee. Assuming that the wingnuts 24 have previously been loosened, the upper plates 22 may bepivoted about the bolts 26 at the upper end of the arcuate slots 28until the angle between the upper plate 22 and the main plate 20corresponds to the angle between the upper and lower portions of thebroken leg. The wing nuts 24 are now tightened down to hold the sidemembers in this angled position and the side members 12 and 14 arebrought together against the sides of the leg. The lacing 42 is nowdrawn through the hooks 40 to tightly clamp the splint in place,immobilizing both the bones and the adjacent joints. Access to theinjured leg, to control bleeding, for example, may be had through thespaces between lacings 42 and through the zippered opening 38 in thecanvas panel 16 along the back of the leg.

When it is not possible to slide the splint under the leg, the splintmay be placed with the canvas side up and pressure applied to the sidesuntil the limb is immobilized. The splint may now be moved to allow thesplint to be laced from the bottom side.

It is further contemplated that the zipper 38 might extend the fulllength of the canvas strips 16 and 18 thereby allowing the halves 12 and14 to be used separately in certain circumstances. Further, if forcertain situations the limb to be splinted is badly broken so that icepacks or absorbent material must be applied or the limb itself is sowide that the canvas sections 16 and 18 are not wide enough, theseparated configuration would provide this adjustability. To this end,the hooks 40 might also be placed adjacent the canvas edge, as indicatedin FIG. 1.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a modified splint construction which includesan arrangement for applying traction to the broken limb to reduce thepossibility ofinternal injuries due to muscle spasms. In thisembodiment, the end of each of the lower panels a of the splint has anotch 42. A rod 44 is received in the notches 42 and has a crank-likeend 46. When this embodiment is used, a bandage 50 is wrapped around thewrist or ankel of the injured limb before the splint is closed. The ends52 of the bandage are fastened to a pin 48 on the rod 44. After thesplint has been tightened about the limb, the rod 44 may be turned towind the bandage ends 52 around the rod 44 and apply tension to thejoint and limb. A suitable latch or clip 54 may be provided to preventaccidental turning of the rod 44.

Another arrangement for applying traction to a broken limb is shown inFIGS. 8 and 9. The straight legs 56a ofa U-shaped rod 56 are slidablyreceived in brackets 58 which are mounted on the outer faces of thepanels 20b. Stops 60 are provided to prevent the rod 56 from slidinginwardly toward the panels 20b. Traction is applied to the injured limbby wrapping an elastic bandage 62 around the wrist or ankle of the limband around the rod 56. When the splint has been closed and tightened toclamp the limb, the bandage 62 is twisted to tighten it and applytraction to the limb. The twisting may be accomplished by using a bar orrod 64. The bar used to twist the bandage is either shorter than thedistance between the legs S6aor is turned at an angle to clear the legsas the bandage is twisted. If a short bar is used to tighten the band, alonger bar 64 is inserted through the twisted portion of the bandage 62when it is sufficiently tightened. The ends of the bar 64 are held bythe legs 56a to prevent the bandage from becoming untwisted. The stops60 may pivot about their mounting screws so that they may be swung clearof the ends of the rod 56 to allow the rod to slide inwardly when it isnot needed. Alternatively, the rod 56 may be removed from the brackets58 and carried separately from the splint when it is not needed. It ispreferably, however, to keep the rod and splint together so that allcomponents are readily available when needed. For this reason, clips(not shown) may be provided on one of the side members 2017 for holdingthe tightening rod or bar 64 when it is not in use.

Another arrangement for pivoting the upper and lower sections of thesplint to accommodate the angle of the knee or elbow of the broken limbis shown in FIG. 10. In this embodiment, the upper and lower panels 22cand 200, respectively, are connected by two bolts 68 and 70. The bolts68 and 70 are aligned on the longitudinal axis of the panel 20c with thebolt 68 serving as the pivotal axis between the panels. The upper bolt70 passes through a semicircular slot 66 in the panel 200. This slot 66is centered about the bolt 68. This arrangement has a greater degree ofadjustability than the previously described embodiment since it permitsthe upper panel 226 to be adjusted to any angle up to 90 on either sideof the panel 200.

It will be understood that changes and additions may be made in thedescribed embodiment of my invention. Thus, for example, eyelets may beprovided in the side members 12 and 14 for receiving the lacings 42.Alternatively, straps and buckles may be provided on the outer faces ofthe side members l2 and 14 for securing these members to one anotheracross the injured limb. Reference should therefore be had to theappended claims in determining the true scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A splint for use on a fractured limb, comprising:

a pair of side members, each member having a first rectangular board anda second board partly overlapping the first board; two bolts extendingthrough the overlapped portions of the first and second boards, at leastone of the bolts passing through an arcuate slot in one of the boards topermit pivotal movement ofthe boards relative to one another;

padding covering one surface of the first board and the adjacent,non-overlapped portion of the surface of the second board;

a canvas panel joining the side members along one principle edgethereof; and

means for releasably fastening the first and second panels along theprinciple edges opposite those joined by the canvas panel.

2. A splint according to claim I wherein each of the two bolts passesthrough arcuate slots in the one of the boards.

3. A splint according to claim 2 wherein the center of curvature of eachof said arcuate slots lies at the upper end of the opposite slots, theupper ends of said slots being spaced the same distance apart as saidbolts.

4. A splint according to claim 1 further including an opening extendingalong a portion ofsaid canvas panel.

5. A splint according to claim 1 wherein said fastening means comprisesa plurality of hooks mounted at spaced intervals on the outer surface ofeach of said side members and a lacing engaging said hooks.

6. A splint according to claim I wherein said first and second panelmembers are joined by a pair of bolts, carried by said first board, oneof said bolts passing through a hole in said second board and serving asa pivot for said boards, the other of said bolts passing through asemi-circular slot in said second board, and the center of curvature ofsaid slot being coincident with said first hole in said second board.

7. A splint for use in an injured limb, comprising:

a pair of side members, each of the side members having an upper and alower portion which may be adjustable angled relative to one another;

a pair of bolts carried by one of the portions and extending through theother portion, at least one of the bolts extending through an arcuateslot in the other portion, the center of curvature of the slot beingcoincident with the center of the other of the bolts;

a flexible panel extending between and joining the side members;

padding on the mating faces ofthe side members; and

means for releaseably fastening the panel members to one another alongtheir edges opposite the flexible panel.

1. A splint for use on a fractured limb, comprising: a pair of sidemembers, each member having a first rectangular board and a second boardpartly overlapping the first board; two bolts extending through theoverlapped portions of the first and second boards, at least one of thebolts passing through an arcuate slot in one of the boards to permitpivotal movement of the boards relative to one another; padding coveringone surface of the first board and the adjacent, non-overlapped portionof the surface of the second board; a canvas panel joining the sidemembers along one principle edge thereof; and means for releasablyfastening the first and second panels along the principle edges oppositethose joined by the canvas panel.
 2. A splint according to claim 1wherein each of the two bolts passes through arcuate slots in the one ofthe boards.
 3. A splint according to claim 2 wherein the center ofcurvature of each of said arcuate slots lies at the upper end of theopposite slots, the upper ends of said slots being spaced the samedistance apart as said bolts.
 4. A splint according to claim 1 furtherincluding an opening extending along a portion of said canvas panel. 5.A splint according to claim 1 wherein said fastening means comprises aplurality of hooks mounted at spaced intervals on the outer surface ofeach of said side members and a lacing engaging said hooks.
 6. A splintaccording to claim 1 wherein said first and second panel members arejoined by a pair of bolts, carried by said first board, one of saidbolts passing through a hole in said second board and serving as a pivotfor said boards, the other of said bolts passing through a semi-circularslot in said second board, and the center of curvature of said slotbeing coincident with said first hole in said second board.
 7. A splintfor use in an injured limb, comprising: a pair of side members, each ofthe side members having an upper and a lower portion which may beadjustable angled relative to one another; a pair of bolts carried byone of the portions and extending through the other portion, at leastone of the bolts extending through an arcuate slot in the other portion,the center Of curvature of the slot being coincident with the center ofthe other of the bolts; a flexible panel extending between and joiningthe side members; padding on the mating faces of the side members; andmeans for releaseably fastening the panel members to one another alongtheir edges opposite the flexible panel.